About

This course will provide an introduction to the fundamentals of real estate investment, covering topics such as property comparison, investment management, and basic financing models. By the end of the course, licensees will also understand fair housing requirements as they pertain to investment properties and will be able to delve into site assessment and property evaluation. In this course, learners will be exposed to the basic characteristics of investment real estate. We will discuss how to compare properties, what it means to manage investment real estate and basic financing models. Learners completing this course will also be able to identify fair housing requirements and will be able to further discuss site assessment and property evaluation.

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

• Introduction to Real Estate Investing
• Real Estate Investment Pricing and Tax Considerations
• Managing Real Estate Investments  
• Fair Housing
• Financial Terms
• Financing Real Estate Investments
• Risk/Profit
• Analysis
• Investment Calculator Exercises

Note:
It is important that you understand the principles that go into the various calculations. As a practical matter, however, be certain to locate and save various websites that will allow you to use the amortization tables, amortization calculators, remaining balance tables and calculators, in order that you can focus on the principles and not on the mathematics.

Note:
When working with your lender, be certain that biweekly payments are permitted. Although many loans will allow this technique, if it is not negotiated in advance, it is possible that a biweekly payment would violate the prepayment clause, so check it out in advance.

Note:
Note that the capital gains tax will vary. The rate of 15% is used in this course. Many real estate investors postpone paying capital gains by doing 1031 exchanges when they sell the property.

Note:
Generally, just signing a standard purchase-agreement to acquire the replacement property will NOT be adequate to complete the 1031 exchange because the benefits and burdens of ownership have not sufficiently shifted.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Demonstrate competence to represent and advise consumers regarding prospective real estate investments.
• Define terms that pertain to real estate investment, property management, and investor financing.
• Identify property management responsibilities.
• Advise consumers regarding existing real estate investment decisions.
• Identify important factors in taxation of real estate investment properties including 1031 exchanges.
• Explain fair housing rules, law and regulations as they pertain to investors.
• Identify the protected characteristics that fall under federal and state fair housing laws and the best practices for compliance.
• Analyze real estate investment profitability on behalf of consumers.
• Identify consumer topics in real estate investment that fall outside of the scope of real estate practice and require referral to real estate attorneys and accountants.
• Understand consumer behavior in relation to real estate investing.
• Advise consumers in financial analysis and pricing strategies for investment properties.
• Analyze the methodologies to select the "best" site given the needs of the client and the property available at the time.
• Determine the commercial site best suited for a business within the budget of the client.

Note:
It is important that you understand the principles that go into the various calculations. As a practical matter, however, be certain to locate and save various websites that will allow you to use the amortization tables, amortization calculators, remaining balance tables and calculators, in order that you can focus on the principles and not on the mathematics.

Note:
When working with your lender, be certain that biweekly payments are permitted. Although many loans will allow this technique, if it is not negotiated in advance, it is possible that a biweekly payment would violate the prepayment clause, so check it out in advance.

Note:
Note that the capital gains tax will vary. The rate of 15% is used in this course. Many real estate investors postpone paying capital gains by doing 1031 exchanges when they sell the property.

Note:
Generally, just signing a standard purchase-agreement to acquire the replacement property will NOT be adequate to complete the 1031 exchange because the benefits and burdens of ownership have not sufficiently shifted.

About

This course covers the topics required by the Real Estate Commission for the introductory course covering the Principles, Law and Practice of Real Estate. This includes information covering the national or general portion of the pre-licensing coursework. Topics included cover those areas which are common to all states, as well as general math concepts.

You will learn basic real estate principles and begin your introduction to real estate law, the important aspects of real estate licensing requirements, distinctions between personal and real property, titles to, and conveyance of real estate, federal, state, and local fair housing laws. The course will also review key licensing laws and obligations as well as legal descriptions, important elements of real estate contracts, how various interests in real estate are defined, including deeds, encumbrances and liens, how titles to real estate are held and conveyed, and the ethical standards you are expected to meet as a license holder.

All students are emailed a link to a digital version of the Modern Real Estate Practice book from Vitalsource. Please check your spam/ junk folder for the email and log in instructions. You are required to complete the reading assignments, see the attached document of chapters to read below, as well as quizzes, exams and exercises. This will be the only reference of reading assignments, so it is advised to save this pdf to your computer and use as you progress through the course.

Please reference the Supplemental Reading Assignment for this course.

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

• Lesson 1: Real Property and Ownership 
• Lesson 2: Land Use Controls 
• Lesson 3: Taxation and Title 
• Lesson 4: Valuation and Appraisal 
• Lesson 5: Contracts, Agency, Fair Housing 
• Lesson 6: Financing and Settlement 
• Lesson 7: Property Management & Other Topics 
• Lesson 8: Real Estate Math Review

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Define "real estate"/"real" property 
• Summarize the types of land descriptions used in the United States 
• Define the various types of agency relationships 
• Define "zoning" and government controls on real estate 
• Communicate Federal Fair Housing laws 
• List various types of taxation in real estate 
• Define types of financing used in real estate transactions 
• List the key terminology of real estate 
• Identify the different types and basic principles of value 
• Explain basic environmental hazards 

About

Property management is considered a complex area of practice and is one of the leading sources of complaints received by the Colorado Real Estate Commission. This course has been carefully crafted to tackle the most common compliance issues that arise during audits conducted by the Division of Real Estate into property management operations.

After finishing this course, learners will have robust knowledge of the rules and regulations governing property management and the steps to take to prevent the most common problems from occurring. While it may not cover every possible scenario, this course is designed to equip learners with the necessary knowledge to embark on a successful and compliant career in property management.

Which of these are financial or fiduciary in nature?

A security deposit is an upfront payment given by tenants to landlords to ensure that rent is paid on time and the property is kept in good condition. This deposit is refundable at the end of the lease, provided that the tenants have followed all the lease terms and have not caused any damage.

Money Belonging to Others which is accepted by the Broker or Brokerage Firm for deposit in the Broker’s or Brokerage Firm’s Trust or Escrow Account that includes, but is not limited to, money received in connection with Management Agreements, partnerships, limited liability companies, syndications, lease agreements, advance fee contracts, guest deposits for short term rentals, rental receipts, security deposits, earnest money deposits, or Money Belonging to Others received for any other purpose.

“Normal wear and tear” refers to deterioration that occurs to a rental unit when used as intended, without negligence, carelessness, accident, or abuse of the premises by the tenant, members of the tenant's household, or their guests.

Constructive receipt refers to the concept that income is considered received when it is made available to them. For example, if a tenant pays rent to the property management company, the landlord does not physically receive the payment, but that income is still considered constructively received by the property owner.

Rental income refers to the money that a property owner earns by renting out their property to tenants from residential, commercial, or other types of rental properties. Rental income is typically considered a form of passive income, as it does not require active involvement from the property owner beyond the initial setup and ongoing maintenance of the property. Rental income refers to all payments received in exchange for the use or occupation of a property, not limited to amounts received as normal rental payments.

Advance rent refers to any rent payments received before it is owed. Advance rent differs from normal rent which is owed at the beginning of the month for the upcoming month. Advance rent is considered income to the landlord in the year in which it is constructively received, regardless of when it is actually owed or accrued.

Payment in advance describes payments that are due upfront, as is typically the case with rent, as opposed to in arrears.

Paying for a benefit after it has been received or performed is known as payment in arrears. A common example of this is monthly mortgage payments. In this scenario, payments are credited to the previous month instead of the current one, meaning that payments have accrued before they are paid.

An "Early Termination Clause" protects landlords when tenants end their lease early. The clause specifies a fee for breaking the lease to cover costs incurred by the landlord for unpaid rent and finding a new tenant.

Depreciation is an accounting technique used to distribute the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life. Essentially, it reflects the amount of the asset's value that has been used up over time. Depreciation is a capital expense taken over the expected life of the property in order to recover the initial cost of the asset through yearly tax deductions.

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

Lesson 1: Fundamental Principles of Property Management
Lesson 2: Contracts & Forms in Property Management
Lesson 3: Tenant Rights, Habitability, and Maintenance
Lesson 4: Financial Responsibilities of Property Management  

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify important compliance issues that frequently arise in property management and identify best practices for avoiding these pitfalls.
• Define terms, legal attributes, and rights that pertain to leasehold interests, brokerage relationships, and fiduciary and uniform duties as defined in real property law.
• Demonstrate understanding of contract terms, duties, and conditions, both explicitly stated and implied, in residential and commercial leases, property management agreements, and disclosure documents under real property law in the state of Colorado.
• Identify the legal, ethical, and real-world impacts of management services, including advising consumers and managing real property assets, for the property owner as well as the tenant.
• List the key changes instituted by Colorado legislation in recent months, and explain the significance and the impacts of these bills on landlord-tenant rights, fair housing conditions, housing affordability, and real estate license practice in the state.
• Identify the circumstances in which the Commission approved contracts and disclosure forms must be used, and those for which there is no approved contract form.
• Identify the legally required disclosures and promulgated contract forms for use by licensees in property managers and leasing agent functions, as well as when an attorney is required to draft a compliant contract.
• Recite terms, definitions, and implications of all aspects of conducting activities that require a license such as real property management and leasing.
• Identify noteworthy moments in the history of fair housing and pervasive issues that continue to inhibit the objectives of fair housing legislation.
• Explain the financial and fiduciary duties of a property manager working on behalf of a landlord including trust accounting and record keeping requirements.

Act 113 of 2011 requires newly approved managers of certain license types to complete this training within 180 days of approval by the PLCB, unless training was successfully completed within the previous two years.

Beginning October 1, 2021, the first time an individual enrolls in Owner/Manager Training, they shall enroll and attend the Owner/Manager Training in a classroom setting. Subsequent training may be completed in class, virtual or online.

Newly approved managers of certain license types are required to complete Owner/Manager Training within 180 days of approval of appointment by the PLCB, unless the appointed manager has successfully completed training within two years prior to being appointed a manager. Furthermore, the PLCB-approved manager must renew Owner/Manager Training every two years.
To complete online or to obtain a list of all scheduled training, visit here and review RAMP Owner/Manager Training option under “RAMP Certification.”

About

This course explores the meaning of real property ownership and the differences between real estate and personal property. Although these terms are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation, there are different rights associated with these different commodities. It is important that licensees understand the differences between them and are able to explain the distinctions to their clients and customers. This course addresses the following topics:

• Personal and Real Property Ownership
• Land Description
• Types of Ownership
• Controlling Development
• Real Estate Practice

Throughout this course, the student will learn how different commodities—land, real estate, and real property— transfer and relate to one another. In addition, the student will learn about land use theory and come to understand how our federal, state, municipal, and private authorities govern and plan our communities. This course covers legal descriptions as well as informal descriptions, the development of these concepts, and the role they play in the real estate industry.

This course’s final lesson presents real-world dilemmas and provides opportunities to apply the information covered in the rest of the course. As the student completes this course, he or she should try to develop a broad understanding of real property use and to place this understanding within the larger context of real estate practice as a whole. This final lesson aims to help the student achieve this goal using comprehensive content questions, practice examples and case studies.

Topics Covered

Lesson Topics

1. Personal and Real Property Ownership
2. Land Description
3. Controlling Development
4. Real Estate Practice

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

• Describe the difference between land, real estate, and real property.
• Recognize the difference between real property and personal property.
• State the definition of a fixture.
• Explain the general character of surface, subsurface, and air rights, as well as littoral and riparian rights.
• Outline the basic features of the metes and bounds survey method and the rectangular survey method.
• Distinguish the vertical method of land description from other survey methods.
• Name the basic public and private methods employed to control the use and development of land.
• Outline the “highest and best use” theory of land use.
• Explain the different types of property ownership.
• Describe how the different types of encumbrances affect ownership.

About

This course aims to provide licensed real estate professionals with the necessary knowledge to stay updated with the constantly evolving world of taxation.

The course focuses on Taxation topics that pertain to the licensee. The IRS maintains a Tax Code which is continually updated and currently has more than 6,000 pages. Because of the complexity, all licensees should advise their clients to seek tax advice from a professional accountant or CPA. The real estate agent provides general tax and investment knowledge; the CPA provides specific tax assistance and advice. However, the knowledge of tax rules directly affects consumer decision-making. Thus, taxation is an important area for real estate agents to become knowledgeable about, including applicable tax rules regarding investment property, residential owner-occupied property, and also business taxation to support their work as independent contractors. In this course, we do not aim to train expert accountants, but rather to provide the basic tax knowledge expected by consumers of a licensed real estate professional to support licensee competence in their brokerage practice.

At the conclusion of the course, your certificate of completion will be immediately available online in your student account. If you have questions during the course, please post those in the Q&As. This is also a great place to see if your question has already been answered and posted online.

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

• The purpose of the Tax Code
• Taxation Terminology and Principles
• Basis
• Capital Gains and Losses
• 1031 Exchange
• Tax principles in the sale and exchange of real property
• Taxation Classifications for Real Property Ownership
• Business tax implications for licensees and real property investors

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Discuss the tax code and how it affects different aspects of the real estate industry
• Explain basic taxation and how brokers can use it to help their clients
• Define the meaning of marginal tax rate
• Describe the specific concerns for residential homeowners, owners of real estate used in a trade or business, as well as the owner of investment real estate
• Demonstrate how this knowledge can increase the real estate agent's commission income and investment income
• List the major reasons for home ownership
• Explain gain and basis and how the client can compute capital gain on the sale of a home
• Illustrate to potential clients why it is important that they seek professional advice from a CPA
• Summarize how purchasing a rental property for an investment can be a tax advantage
• Illustrate how cost recovery is used as a deductible expense
• Explain how income and losses are identified (passive and non-passive income)
• Classify the three types of vacation homes and discuss their tax consequences
• Explain the rules and benefits of the 1031exchange
• Discuss CRTs and how they can help avoid capital gains tax, increase income, and create tax deductions.

Other Outcomes

• Improve professional image.
• Increase income - more expertise.
• Advise clients of options.
• Answer casual questions.
• Make your own personal financial decisions.

Goals

• Be aware of the basic taxation rules regarding home ownership.
• Be aware of the basis taxation rules regarding investment properties.

About

Thank you for your interest in this course.

This course is written for either an Employing Broker or a top-producing agent when contemplating the creation of a real estate team. The viewpoint is from that of management, but there will be sections where the perception and considerations will be from that of a team member.

The Employing Broker and the Team Leader will need to perceive the considerations from the agent in the firm looking to join the team, and from an agent recruited from outside the firm. Empathy will play a vital role in the decisions creating a team.

Topics Covered

Lesson 1: Commission Rules, Relationships, and Disclosures

Lesson 2: Rules, Roles, and Structures

Lesson 3: Attracting and Cultivating Team Members

Lesson 4: The Team Member Agreement

Lesson 5: Operating and Personnel Issues

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Better evaluate if a team environment is right for you.
• Understand the roles of the members within a team, especially with regards to Agency relationships with consumers.
• Identify what makes a good team work well.
• Learn some of the variations of compensation structures available as a team.
• Explore some of the challenges that team members face.
• Review a suggested template for a Team Member Agreement.
• Identify legal risks and benefits of working in a team.
• Review case studies and knowledge checks.

Employment status may be created depending on the actions and intents of the parties and any control extended by one party over the other. The classification of a party as an employee or independent contractor is a legal determination and imposes numerous obligations under applicable laws, including wage and hour and tax issues for employees, and penalties for misclafficiation of independent contractors. Broker, Team Leader and TEAM MEMBER are advised to seek legal and accounting advice as to the classification of the relationship between the parties.

About

The Vision

"Before you build a team, you must have a vision for where you want it to go. This vision will be something that launches your culture. It will be something you discuss on a regular basis on your team. You’ll need to get them to buy-in to your vision and make sure you are hiring TO your vision. Then, you can never stop casting it so that the players on your team are living the vision.

For my team, I discuss it a lot. It’s quite simple. My vision for our team is simply to be the company that everyone wants to be part of and if not, feels like they are missing out."

- Lori Ballen, Ballen Brands

By the very nature of being on a team, relationships can become complex and management can become burdensome. Sales professionals, Brokers, and support staff will all be involved in not only the day-to-day issues but also the transactions of consumers of real estate services. This will include sometimes complicated agency relationships that need to be clearly explained to consumers.

It is, therefore, necessary to develop the skills and tools that will help guide and manage expectations and results when working together in Teams in Real Estate.

Topics Covered

Lesson 1: Definitions & Common Structures

Lesson 2: Supervising & Challenges

Lesson 3: Legal Aspects & Advertising

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Better evaluate if a team environment is right for you.
• Understand the roles of the members within a team, especially with regards to Agency relationships with consumers
• Identify what makes a good team work well
• Learn some of the variations of compensation structures available as a team
• Explore some of the challenges that members on a team face
• Identify legal risks and benefits of working in a team.

About

This course aims to provide licensed real estate professionals with the necessary knowledge to stay updated with the constantly evolving world of technology and application in real estate.

This course covers security, terminology, as well as ethical and legal use of consumer data, as it introduces current technology trends in the world of real estate technology and familiarizes licensees with background knowledge of the technology they use on a daily basis. This course will not simply describe these tools but instead will address how to use them, what ethical dilemmas surround the use of each technology, and how to maximize the impact of its use in the daily operations of a real estate business. This will help support licensees in their use of technology in their real estate business, whether they utilize technology as a means of keeping the public informed concerning real estate topics, in their transaction management, or in every part of their business operations, this course will ensure that licensees have the foundational knowledge of those technologies as well as knowledge of where to find resources as needed. Topics covered will include contact management systems, mobile technology, Web-based business tools, online resources from the Real Estate Commission, social networking sites, transaction management, and business systems technology. Last but not least, the course will conclude with a unit on the use of emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), in real estate practice.

The course requires the student to be able to use a computer, have internet access, and understand email and internet basics. At the conclusion of the course, your certificate of completion will be immediately available online in your student account. If you have questions during the course, please post those in the Q&As. This is also a great place to see if your question has already been answered and posted online. The content will prepare licensees for their final exam.

This subsection does not apply to sales by the commission or a wholesaler to a licensee under this title.

(12-6-101 (b) Repealed By Laws 2010, Ch. 6, 2.)

This subsection does not apply to sales by the commission or a wholesaler to a licensee under this title.

(12-6-101 (b) Repealed By Laws 2010, Ch. 6, 2.)

For purposes of this section, "ethyl alcohol" means any substance which is or contains ethyl alcohol. (12-6-101 (j))

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

Lesson 1: Resources Available Online For Consumers

Lesson 2: Tools of the Trade

Lesson 3: Consumer Service Systems

Lesson 4: Communication

Lesson 5: Emerging Trends in Technology

Lesson 6: Technology Tools & Resources

Record keeping table 1

click to view table

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Competent and secure use of technology by real estate licensees
• Understanding terminology and improving licensee technological literacy
• Systems benefiting licensees as business consumers and real estate consumers.
• Consumer behavior and concerns online.
• Ethical, legal, and safety concerns in technology and responsible use of consumer data
• The use of technology to manage communications, transactions, networks, and time.
• Keeping up in the ever-evolving world of real estate technology, also known as “PropTech”

Record keeping table 1

click to view table

About

As a professional real estate agent, one of the most important duties of your job is to properly price your listings for market. Getting listings is one thing, selling them is another. Sure, it’s fun to see your name on a sign in a yard, but yard signs don’t pay the bills. There is a right way to price a home, which involves a thorough review of the market - the active competition, the recent sales and the expired listings. The wrong way is to allow your seller to dictate the price. While you do want and need seller input, you need to know in your heart what the right price range is and be able to defend it.

As a licensed professional real estate agent, it is your duty to be honest and straightforward with the sellers about market value. Our job as real estate agents is not to make friends because we are the highest bidder. Sellers are depending on us and our recommendations in order to make important decisions. This course will help you learn and understand the nuances of this specific market.

Topics Covered

Lesson 1: Basic Pricing Strategies

Lesson 2: Creative Pricing Strategies

Lesson 3: Pricing for Flaws

Lesson 4: Solve the Problem

Lesson 5: Effectively Communicating with the Seller

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss basic pricing strategies
• Explain creative pricing strategies
• Identify pricing for flaws
• Understand solve the problem, don’t reduce the price
• Demonstrate effectively communicating with the seller

About

Real Estate Technology

A Brief History

The Code of Ethics, or COE, is a living document. It is reviewed and updated every year. This course is designed to give all real estate professionals some "best practices" to follow when posting on not only social media but, in fact, anywhere online.

In 2007, NAR created the Pathways to Professionalism to address issues of courtesy and respect among REALTORS®. This program will work to highlight how each of these programs relates, what changes are made moving forward, and how the real estate professional, be they a REALTOR® or not, should handle certain situations and what guidelines we should follow. On the following pages, you will be guided through the following topics:

• Respect for the Public
• Respect for Property
• Respect for Peers
  
  

The real estate industry is facing the greatest challenge since the invention of the typewriter and the telephone. Internet and computer technologies have precipitated these challenges. Consumers are self-educating themselves through the tremendous amount of information accessible on the Internet. The licensee no longer controls the flow of information to the consumer. The adage, “Work smarter, not harder,” has become the key to success with real estate transactions.

Customers are demanding more knowledgeable real estate licensees; licensees that are capable of guiding and advising since information itself is readily available. The internet provides transaction information related to agent selection, real property, mortgage lenders, shopping, credit access, appraisal, home inspection, and loan applications. Now, a need for a guide on the side has replaced the sage-on-stage model.

• Summarize how tech tools have evolved to better suit the real estate industry over the last 50 years
• Relate how the IDX changed the landscape of information when it was unveiled
• Explain how brokers should use the internet to best suit their customers who also have access to the same information

IMPORTANT: We need your license number!

Please confirm you have provided us with your NE license number. Without this, your completion reporting may be delayed.

To provide your license number, simply close the course and navigate to 'My Account-My Account Info'.

Our careers include many specializations.

Some commercial associates specialize in particular types of property, such as office property, developable farmland or even amusement parks. Other commercial associates specialize in particular forms of consulting work for Real Estate Investment Trusts, insurance companies or utility companies. Still, others work in specialized areas such as resort management or assist government agencies with redevelopment of industrial sites or reclamation of land.

While there are many options for specialization in the commercial field, from multi-unit strip malls with pad spaces to high rise buildings, and everywhere in between, most will involve real estate professionals and in many cases attorneys who will interact throughout the transaction process.

If you are new to commercial real estate, keep an eye out through this course for areas that interest you or that you may want to find out more about later on.

While there are many options for specialization in the commercial field, from multi-unit strip malls with pad spaces to high rise buildings, and everywhere in between, most will involve real estate professionals and in many cases attorneys who will interact throughout the transaction process.

If you are new to commercial real estate, keep an eye out through this course for areas that interest you or that you may want to find out more about later on.

Our careers include many specializations.

Some commercial associates specialize in particular types of property, such as office property, developable farmland or even amusement parks. Other commercial associates specialize in particular forms of consulting work for Real Estate Investment Trusts, insurance companies or utility companies. Still, others work in specialized areas such as resort management or assist government agencies with redevelopment of industrial sites or reclamation of land.

In some specific areas, like New York City and Washington, D.C., local real estate organizations have come up with alternative plans for measuring space.

The Real Estate Board of New York has created the REBNY Standard, which is used to measure leased office space in the New York metropolitan area, including nearby parts of Connecticut and New Jersey. The GWCAR Standard is used to measure leased office space in the Washington DC metropolitan area, including nearby parts of Maryland and Virginia.

I always suggest drawing the space as you measure in order to make sure you include the entire space. Hallways, closets and bathrooms within a tenant’s private area are all part of the space the tenant is leasing.

As stated earlier, these various types of shopping centers are classified primarily by their size and their types of goods and services sold. You will find that even with these broad classifications, hybrids of various types exist and new types of shopping centers continue to be developed.

Consider mixed-use as a primary alternative where living quarters are located in the same area or even above store fronts.

Zoning codes vary widely from municipality to municipality. Don’t be fooled by the similarities in zoning code names and symbols. Each municipality’s zoning regulation or code manual lays out all the various zoning forms in that municipality and what uses are permitted in each zone.

For example, a municipality may have 5 levels of residential zoning, labeled R1 through R5. Each level may allow for a different minimum lot size, different minimum road frontage and different setbacks. R1 might allow attached townhomes on minimum lots of 6000 square feet that sit back a minimum of 25 feet from the road. R2 might allow for single family homes on minimum quarter acre lots that require a 30 foot distance from the road, while R5 requires single family homes to be on a minimum of 10 acres.

Although every possibility cannot be predicted by any realtor, engineer or developer, a basic understanding of what type of improvements may be required and what costs for improvements may be incurred by the developer is critical to pricing the property correctly.

If the market is sluggish currently, but you expect it to pull out shortly, it may be better to wait. If, on the other hand, interest rates are rising and the rental income on an investment property is not, the owner may consider pricing the property realistically so that the property sells before the property devalues.

You must also consider the implications of current economic factors that might increase or decrease the vacancy rate in the area. Complex analysis of these factors is beyond the scope of this text. However, if a lot of inventory is under construction currently and the economy is slowing down, you should adjust your absorption calculation down.

Certainly, whole courses exist on Real Estate Investment Analysis. Our goal in this chapter is to introduce you to the concept of income and cash flows, the primary methods of calculating return on investment, and how they are important to the marketing and sale of commercial real estate.

We will outline the various forms of calculating returns on investment, but an in-depth analysis of income projection is beyond the scope of this text.

On the other side of the transaction, a buyer’s agent will be likely to estimate a reserve number that is high, when attempting to negotiate an offer on the buyer’s behalf. The buyer’s agent will want to show the property owner that the property may not be worth quite as much as he or she wants.

Although many great programs exist to forecast the returns and cash flow of investment real estate, I think it's critical to understand how forecasting is done. You can calculate cash flows by creating a simple spreadsheet in Excel, Lotus, or Quattro Pro, etc.

Remember that a negative exponent means you need to divide by that number of factors instead of multiplying.

The full Home Staging report is available at nar.realtor

As a reminder, know the facts… Home Staging pays off, especially for your seller. It is your job to help them sell their home for the best price, in the least amount of time on the market.

Educate your seller on the benefits so they see it as a necessary part of achieving their goal, and do not assume that this is your cost to absorb.
Staging helps get your seller committed and serious about selling their home.
It helps your seller “detach,” which should make the negotiation process less emotional for them, thus benefitting everyone!

Studies show that putting the bed at an angle is often beneficial for staging.

Topics Covered

This course focuses on the following topics:

1. Etiquette for the Age of Engage
2. Ethics
3. Competence
4. Our Duties to the Industry
5. Commission Site
6. The Code
7. Additional Issues

The duties of fidelity, integrity, and competency are aspirational goals expressed in the preamble to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Code of Ethics of the CCIM Institute (Certified Commercial Investment Member).

You must delete, according to Article 15, any comment that violates any article of the COE as well as any that make false or misleading statements about another REALTOR®. We also suggest that, in the absence of actually verifying a real estate professionals association membership status with NAR, all REALTORS® remove all negative comments about anyone so as to make certain to not step afoul of the code of ethics or state licensing and advertising laws.

Professional Standards Hearing panels consider three main categories of factors which influence the panel’s decision.

First, how did the respondent and complainant introduce the buyer to the property?
Second, did the buyer make any decision or take any action that may have affected the transaction?
Third, how did the brokers perform their duties and obligations?

In real estate, twitter has become a common tool, both for professionals and increasingly for customers. The benefit to your customers comes from how you engage with them as well as how you can leverage your network to support your customers real estate goals (i.e. showing off property, sharing statistics and informing the world of wants and needs).

 
In real estate, twitter has become a common tool, both for professionals and increasingly for customers. The benefit to your customers comes from how you engage with them as well as how you can leverage your network to support your customers real estate goals (i.e. showing off property, sharing statistics and informing the world of wants and needs).

Like Twitter, Instagram has also made a pretty solid play for real estate licensees' attention these days, as the option of a feed devoted to property pictures and descriptions could be a better fit!

Instagram is a great way to show off listings and give prospective buyers some insights and highlights about the property.
Again, you should use Instagram to drive traffic to your listings. But do not use it directly for conducting business.
Since Instagram is an image-first platform, be sure to post professional photos and videos to your account—and keep copyright laws in mind for photos that are not your own.
Engage with users, but, as always, be mindful of “troll” comments and DMs (direct messages) from unknown parties that include scam links, etc.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Discuss the role of ethics in real estate and how a professional should behave.
• Summarize the role of a real estate professional as it relates to being a guardian of ethics and professionalism online.
• Identify key areas of ethics and state law that may be breached on social media, thus requiring action on the part of the real estate professional.

The duties of fidelity, integrity, and competency are aspirational goals expressed in the preamble to the Code of Ethics of the National Association of REALTORS® and the Code of Ethics of the CCIM Institute (Certified Commercial Investment Member).

You must delete, according to Article 15, any comment that violates any article of the COE as well as any that make false or misleading statements about another REALTOR®. We also suggest that, in the absence of actually verifying a real estate professionals association membership status with NAR, all REALTORS® remove all negative comments about anyone so as to make certain to not step afoul of the code of ethics or state licensing and advertising laws.

Professional Standards Hearing panels consider three main categories of factors which influence the panel’s decision.

First, how did the respondent and complainant introduce the buyer to the property?
Second, did the buyer make any decision or take any action that may have affected the transaction?
Third, how did the brokers perform their duties and obligations?

In real estate, twitter has become a common tool, both for professionals and increasingly for customers. The benefit to your customers comes from how you engage with them as well as how you can leverage your network to support your customers real estate goals (i.e. showing off property, sharing statistics and informing the world of wants and needs).

In real estate, twitter has become a common tool, both for professionals and increasingly for customers. The benefit to your customers comes from how you engage with them as well as how you can leverage your network to support your customers real estate goals (i.e. showing off property, sharing statistics and informing the world of wants and needs).

About

Welcome!

This guide was created to help you SELL expired listings. Not GET expired listings (although it may help do that, too), but actually SELL them…

“You have no idea how thrilled I am that you are reading these words. I’m serious about that. The fact that you are taking time and energy away from your busy life to figure out how to SELL expired listings makes me smile.

Most real estate training products that focus on expired listings teach you how to GET those listings, as if all that seems to matter is putting a For Sale sign in another yard, with hardly any fanfare devoted to what happens next.”

-- Jennifer Hagedorn, Author/Instructor

Well, except for asking for that price reduction six weeks later.

Topics Covered

Lesson 1: First Things First

Lesson 2: Phases of the Expired Listing Analysis Process

Lesson 3: Phase One - Uncover the Data

Lesson 4: Phase Two - Analyze the Data

Lesson 5: Interlude: Can You Sell This Listing?

Lesson 6: Phase Three - Recommend and Make Adjustments Based on Your Findings

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the phases of the expired listing analysis process
• Examine data and restate value concerns
• Analyze listing information and market analysis data
• Recommend and make adjustments to listing prices based on the evaluation process
  
  

About

This course is designed to help real estate licensees understand the importance of credit in the context of buying a home and the overall financial picture of the homebuyer. In this course, licensees will gain working knowledge of credit, where it comes from, how it affects access to lending products, and how it is affected by consumer behavior.

Understanding Credit covers topics such as credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and limits as they apply to mortgage lending, as well as the role of credit in lifetime wealth accumulation and the financial well-being of consumers. In addition to understanding credit conceptually, licensees will learn best practices for educating and supporting their clients in making credit and borrowing decisions.

The course also covers discriminatory credit practices, consumer rights, and the key pieces of legislation that enacted those rights including the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Consumer Credit Protection Act (CCPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and others.

By the end of the course licensees will appreciate the significance of consumer credit in modern life and how restricted access to credit has contributed to racial disparities in homeownership, wealth, and home values across the United States. By the end of the course, licensees will have a better understanding of these complex issues, the importance of equitable access to credit, and the opportunities that credit affords.

While you obviously cannot run through a checklist of federal laws every time you participate in a transaction, it is important that you remember that there are rules and regulations that impact virtually everything you do in the process of listing, selling, and participating in the purchase of real estate as an agent.

The foregoing concepts should be familiar. They are yet another way of stating the rules of the law of agency in general and according to the Texas Real Estate Commission in particular, when considering the obligations of agent to principal.

Note that the licensee/license holder can have a license suspended or revoked for 33 separate listed actions or failures to act, including disregarding or violating a provision of Chapter 1101 or chapter 1102 of TRELA. One of those possible violations is acting “negligently or incompetently.” Another violation occurs if the licensee “solicits, sells, or offers for sale real property by means of a deceptive practice.” If a licensee commits a deceptive practice under the DTPA, it will undoubtedly constitute a deceptive practice under this section. You may recall that a violation of the DTPA does not require intent. So, a broker that violates the TPA without any intention to do so is also exposed to disciplinary action under TRELA. The financial and ethical exposure is obvious and serious.

The Fraud Act uses the phrase “actual awareness” to impose an additional level of potential damage award.

While not binding on licensees that are not REALTORS®, the Code nevertheless provides a wealth of guidance as to the appropriate conduct by a real estate agent. Though not specifically adopted by TREC, these guidelines echo many of the same principles and tenets as TREC and other authorities on the subject of agency. It can be safely said that observing these rules and standards of practice, whether you have become a Realtor® or not, will be of benefit to you in establishing an ethical professional reputation and, if necessary, a defense to legal or ethical complaints.

Professional Standards Hearing panels consider three main categories of factors which influence the panel’s decision. First, how did the respondent and complainant introduce the buyer to the property? Second, did the buyer make any decision or take any action that may have affected the transaction? Third, how did the brokers perform their duties and obligations?

You will see that the author makes a couple of references to Indian law. Don’t let that be a distraction. The principles stated apply to fraud and misrepresentation regardless, and the comparison chart in the article is a good shorthand way to differentiate these concepts.

Bear in mind that the laundry list and the specific sections emphasized are intended only to provide you with some warning signs about what may or may not be a violation of the DTPA. They are not intended to be a substitute for appropriate legal counsel.

Topics Covered

In this course, licensees will master the following topics:

• The importance of credit in the real estate industry
• Credit and first-time home buyers
• Debt-to-income (DTI) ratios and limits
• Why credit matters
• Credit reports versus credit scores
• Credit history and consumer behavior
• Discriminatory credit practices
• Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Consumer Credit Protection Act, and credit-related laws
• Consumer rights

While you obviously cannot run through a checklist of federal laws every time you participate in a transaction, it is important that you remember that there are rules and regulations that impact virtually everything you do in the process of listing, selling, and participating in the purchase of real estate as an agent.

The foregoing concepts should be familiar. They are yet another way of stating the rules of the law of agency in general and according to the Texas Real Estate Commission in particular, when considering the obligations of agent to principal.

Note that the licensee/license holder can have a license suspended or revoked for 33 separate listed actions or failures to act, including disregarding or violating a provision of Chapter 1101 or chapter 1102 of TRELA. One of those possible violations is acting “negligently or incompetently.” Another violation occurs if the licensee “solicits, sells, or offers for sale real property by means of a deceptive practice.” If a licensee commits a deceptive practice under the DTPA, it will undoubtedly constitute a deceptive practice under this section. You may recall that a violation of the DTPA does not require intent. So, a broker that violates the TPA without any intention to do so is also exposed to disciplinary action under TRELA. The financial and ethical exposure is obvious and serious.

The Fraud Act uses the phrase “actual awareness” to impose an additional level of potential damage award.

While not binding on licensees that are not REALTORS®, the Code nevertheless provides a wealth of guidance as to the appropriate conduct by a real estate agent. Though not specifically adopted by TREC, these guidelines echo many of the same principles and tenets as TREC and other authorities on the subject of agency. It can be safely said that observing these rules and standards of practice, whether you have become a Realtor® or not, will be of benefit to you in establishing an ethical professional reputation and, if necessary, a defense to legal or ethical complaints.

Professional Standards Hearing panels consider three main categories of factors which influence the panel’s decision. First, how did the respondent and complainant introduce the buyer to the property? Second, did the buyer make any decision or take any action that may have affected the transaction? Third, how did the brokers perform their duties and obligations?

You will see that the author makes a couple of references to Indian law. Don’t let that be a distraction. The principles stated apply to fraud and misrepresentation regardless, and the comparison chart in the article is a good shorthand way to differentiate these concepts.

Bear in mind that the laundry list and the specific sections emphasized are intended only to provide you with some warning signs about what may or may not be a violation of the DTPA. They are not intended to be a substitute for appropriate legal counsel.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, licensees will be able to:

• Express the importance of credit in real estate ownership
• Describe the supportive role a real estate licensee plays in transactions with inexperienced borrowers in need of elevated support and guidance.
• Understand Debt-to-income ratios including how they are calculated and what role they play in a prospective borrower’s access to credit.
• Understand the differences between credit scores, reports, and various credit reporting sources which can yield changeable credit score results.
• Identify the different elements of a credit report and how to interpret credit results.
• Coach clients in matters of desirable credit behavior, credit monitoring and improving credit.
• Describe the disparate impacts resulting from lack of access to credit including racial gaps in homeownership and wealth building.
• Summarize the importance of the key pieces of legislation such as the equal credit opportunity act, consumer credit protection act, and fair credit reporting act.
• List and define the specific rights outlined in these acts pertaining to consumers rights to credit, information, disclosures and reporting.

While you obviously cannot run through a checklist of federal laws every time you participate in a transaction, it is important that you remember that there are rules and regulations that impact virtually everything you do in the process of listing, selling, and participating in the purchase of real estate as an agent.

The foregoing concepts should be familiar. They are yet another way of stating the rules of the law of agency in general and according to the Texas Real Estate Commission in particular, when considering the obligations of agent to principal.

Note that the licensee/license holder can have a license suspended or revoked for 33 separate listed actions or failures to act, including disregarding or violating a provision of Chapter 1101 or chapter 1102 of TRELA. One of those possible violations is acting “negligently or incompetently.” Another violation occurs if the licensee “solicits, sells, or offers for sale real property by means of a deceptive practice.” If a licensee commits a deceptive practice under the DTPA, it will undoubtedly constitute a deceptive practice under this section. You may recall that a violation of the DTPA does not require intent. So, a broker that violates the TPA without any intention to do so is also exposed to disciplinary action under TRELA. The financial and ethical exposure is obvious and serious.

The Fraud Act uses the phrase “actual awareness” to impose an additional level of potential damage award.

While not binding on licensees that are not REALTORS®, the Code nevertheless provides a wealth of guidance as to the appropriate conduct by a real estate agent. Though not specifically adopted by TREC, these guidelines echo many of the same principles and tenets as TREC and other authorities on the subject of agency. It can be safely said that observing these rules and standards of practice, whether you have become a Realtor® or not, will be of benefit to you in establishing an ethical professional reputation and, if necessary, a defense to legal or ethical complaints.

Professional Standards Hearing panels consider three main categories of factors which influence the panel’s decision. First, how did the respondent and complainant introduce the buyer to the property? Second, did the buyer make any decision or take any action that may have affected the transaction? Third, how did the brokers perform their duties and obligations?

You will see that the author makes a couple of references to Indian law. Don’t let that be a distraction. The principles stated apply to fraud and misrepresentation regardless, and the comparison chart in the article is a good shorthand way to differentiate these concepts.

Bear in mind that the laundry list and the specific sections emphasized are intended only to provide you with some warning signs about what may or may not be a violation of the DTPA. They are not intended to be a substitute for appropriate legal counsel.